Seven Suggestions to Help Annual Meetings

7 Suggestions to Conduct HOA Annual Meeting

Conducting the annual meeting is a major part of Arizona HOA management. Although this project requires a lot of work, some simple steps streamline the preparation. These seven suggestions will help an annual meeting come off without a hitch:

Establish a Pre-Meeting Timeline – Careful planning is the key to a successful annual meeting. You should plan backwards from the meeting date and document all required tasks. The governing documents will help outline what needs to be done.

Understand State Laws – Some states will have laws governing HOA annual meetings that might influence formats, schedules, notices, postings, agendas, time frames, distribution methods and more. It’s up to the HOA management team to know what these legal requirements are and to adhere to them.

Get Professional Input -- The HOA’s management company and attorney can lend expertise regarding meeting notices and elections. Any mistakes in ballots, for example, could result in an election being contested.

Don’t Discuss Issues Prior to a Board Meeting – Board members need to be careful to restrict certain discussions of HOA business to the annual meeting.

Develop an Accurate Check-In Process – Board members and managers need to make sure attendees are accounted for at the annual meeting. They also need to determine whether members voted by mail or in person.

Determine an Appropriate and Legal Agenda – Board members and managers must decide if agenda items meet confidentiality and privacy criteria. They must also separate items out for closed sessions.

Decide on a Social Event – If appropriate, the board may decide to hold a social gathering in conjunction with the annual meeting. This event can be held either before or after the meeting to improve community relations.

These are just a few suggestions to help HOA boards and community management companies conduct productive annual meetings. Make sure whatever you do in your meeting planning that you incorporate enough positive items in your agenda. You want everyone who attends to come away with a good feeling!